856 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

--- Gu Yangcheon gazed down in distaste, his foot crushing something beneath it. It was supposed to be a simple beatdown, but something felt off. “What is this?” The sensation was peculiar, unsettling even—like a gnawing discomfort in his gut. He pressed down harder. CRUNCH—!!! The sound of bones breaking sent a chill through the air. [Aaaaaaargh—!!] A scream echoed, and Gu Yangcheon tilted his head as he listened. “Sturdy, aren’t you.” He had intended to crush the skull with his strength, yet it resisted. He applied more pressure. BOOM—!! The force burst forth with a shockwave. The demonic energy roared, coiling around his body. The force he exerted now was twice as strong, further crushing the adversary's head. [Graaaah—!!!] The creature writhed in agony. That, too, was intriguing—it was surprising that it held out this long. SWISH! An arm lunged at him. Without flinching, Gu Yangcheon leaped back, narrowing the gap between them. ‘Did it really move its arm from that angle?’ He had dodged the attack, yet the way it moved was bizarre. The arm bent unnaturally at an angle it should not be able to. Proof of which lay in the creature's voice. [Graaah… You…!] Rising to its feet, its left arm was grotesquely twisted. [You… it was you, wasn’t it?] “Hm?” At the creature’s unexpected words, Gu Yangcheon’s eyes widened slightly. At first glance, he didn’t realize, but recognition dawned as he studied its face. “Gae Cheonmunju?” The creature was none other than Gae Cheonmunju. Despite the snowy white of its hair and the bizarre transformations across its body, it was unmistakable. Yet… “What happened to you?” The change in its appearance was profoundly unsettling. Whatever had transpired, Gu Yangcheon’s instincts warned him. “You…” The emotions stirring within him as he gazed at Gae Cheonmunju became glaringly clear. It was hostility. It wrapped itself around him, more vivid than anything else. And such hostility could mean only one thing. ‘A dragon.’ Gae Cheonmunju was now a dragon. The sensation was reminiscent of the enmity he felt standing before white-tiered demonic beasts. This kind of animosity could only be felt towards a kindred. Then, was Gae Cheonmunju truly a dragon like himself? The thought crossed his mind, but Gu Yangcheon immediately dismissed it. ‘No, it wasn’t a dragon.’ If it had been a dragon, he would have sensed it long ago. Never before had he sensed such from Gae Cheonmunju. Did he possess some ability to conceal this presence? No, Gu Yangcheon thought not. It didn’t feel like that. ‘And even if it seems like a dragon, something about it isn’t right.’ It was peculiar. He could only describe the feeling by comparing it to something foreign; it was distinctly apart from white-tiered demonic beasts. If he were to liken it to something… ‘The Northern Princess. Or perhaps the Dark King.’ When he had seen those figures, the sensation was similar—a feeling usually evoked only when encountering beings like the Dark King. This could only mean one thing. ‘A half-dragon.’ It wasn’t enough to call it a complete dragon, yet too much to deny it, making the term "half-dragon" the most fitting, as coined by the Dark King. [Grrr….] The creature's gaze fixated on Gu Yangcheon. The scales covering its skin, its somewhat muddled golden eyes with slit pupils, and the peculiar aura it emanated. It unmistakably bore the visage of a dragon. Moreover… [Why… why are you…?] Gae Cheonmunju, too, seemed to sense something different in Gu Yangcheon, some disparity from others. Gu Yangcheon’s certainty solidified from that reaction. ‘He didn’t know before.’ The creature hadn’t known in the past but had recognized it now. Becoming a dragon, it could sense it; until then, it had been human. He found himself mired in deeper confusion. ‘How?’ How could it possibly become a dragon? The question lingered unanswered in his mind, prompting him to gaze at Gae Cheonmunju with curiosity. ‘No matter.’ Pointless. There was no need to dwell on it now. Gu Yangcheon turned his attention to the side, looking away from Gae Cheonmunju. There stood Namgung Bia and Wi Seol Ah, eyes trained on him. He scrutinized them with narrowed eyes. ‘Injured.’ Namgung Bia’s condition appeared dire, her face ashen from significant blood loss. Conversely, Wi Seol Ah seemed less harmed, though not entirely unscathed. Taking this in, Gu Yangcheon spoke. “What on earth have you been doing?” “…!” “…!” His steely tone made both of them flinch. They had never heard that cold voice from him before. “Why don’t you seem to listen? Do my words mean nothing to you?” “…That…is…” “Just be quiet.” When Gu Yangcheon spoke with a frown, Namgung Bia bit her lip and fell silent. “...” “Stay out of the way.” “But…” “Shut your mouth and stay out of the way. Tend to your wounds. I’ll deal with you later.” The attempt at protest from Wi Seol Ah was silenced with a single command. Frustration simmered inside him. Gu Yangcheon pressed forward, ignoring it. The scene shifted once more. [Ugh…!] Gu Yangcheon found himself suddenly in front of Gae Cheonmunju. CRACK-! His foot struck Gae Cheonmunju’s knee. With a loud snap, one knee buckled. “Ack!” Gae Cheonmunju’s eyes widened in pain, unable to react to the blow. His body teetered, attempting to regain balance. “You hold your head too high.” With those words, he slammed the other knee down into the dirt. “Who do you think you’re messing with?” CRACK-! The jaw rattled. “Who do you dare to defy?” CRUNCH-! The head twisted. It seemed as though facial bones had shattered. But it wasn’t just that. Unrelenting blows followed, targeting already broken areas. The agony doubled. An intentional strategy, it seemed, aimed at inflicting greater suffering. [Urgh… Ugh.] Gae Cheonmunju couldn’t gather his wits amidst the unending onslaught. Desperate to retaliate, he couldn’t move an inch. Thus began a one-sided barrage of violence. --- CRACK-! Something shattered. TEAR-! An indefinable substance was ripped apart. Pain coursed through his entire body, overwhelming him to the point where he couldn’t pinpoint what was happening or where. All he could do was endure the agony. [Grrr!!] For what felt like an eternity, Gae Cheonmunju writhed in pain. [You will pay---!!!] Finally, he unleashed a roar of defiance, releasing his energy in a burst. SCREEEEECH---!! Swords rose and flung themselves towards Gu Yangcheon. Namgung Bia, who was catching her breath, widened her eyes in shock. The speed was incomparable to when he had fought her—it was almost double in strength. The swords, moving too fast for the eye to follow, targeted Gu Yangcheon. Gu Yangcheon merely glanced at the swords before rotating his upper body and swinging his fist, powered by his waist. THWOOM—!! The air ripped apart as an unseen force exploded. It was his signature Heart Fist technique. CRASH—!!! The swords veered off course under the impact. Ting-! Ting-! They collided with the walls and clattered to the ground with clear ringing sounds. Gae Cheonmunju let out a low growl at the sight. At that moment, one sword remained unaffected, high enough not to be caught by the blast. Although it had risen from the shock, it hovered, poised. Did he not notice? Seeing his opportunity, Gae Cheonmunju funneled energy into the sword. SHIIIIICK---!!! The sword surged forward with great speed. Even then, Gu Yangcheon continued to look elsewhere. At this rate, the sword would pierce right through from the top of his head. The empowered sword closed in on Gu Yangcheon’s head. “I’ve always thought this.” Gu Yangcheon whispered at that moment. “You all are just so predictable.” He spoke as he moved. He extended his hand into the air. SHOO—!! […What!?] Just as the sword was about to descend on Gu Yangcheon, it wobbled, spinning around! Instead of the blade, the hilt was falling towards him. [This can’t be--!!] Gae Cheonmunju cried out in frustration. This was supposed to be his prized sword art. It was nothing like merely manipulating the sword with telekinesis, yet Gu Yangcheon had effortlessly seized control of Gae Cheonmunju’s sword. He hadn’t just taken it; he had fully commandeered it. Thud. The sword of Gae Cheonmunju fell into Gu Yangcheon’s grip. SLICK---!!! And with that, Gu Yangcheon slashed down on Gae Cheonmunju. [Cough….] A deep sword wound opened on Gae Cheonmunju’s body, forcing him back. He seemed about to collapse. It would happen naturally, but Gu Yangcheon advanced on him with a foot. BAM-!! With a strong kick, Gae Cheonmunju’s body slid, hitting a wall, and slumped down. [Ugh…ack….] He braced himself on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood. His eyes brimmed with pain and doubt. [Just… how.] He still couldn’t comprehend it. How had Gu Yangcheon taken control of the sword? Even more perplexing than his pain was that mystery. “Hmm?” Perhaps overhearing the question, Gu Yangcheon addressed Gae Cheonmunju with a low voice. “You just do it, why make it weird.” [You just… do it?] Gae Cheonmunju trembled as if struck by the response. He still couldn’t believe it. But Gu Yangcheon, uninterested in his disbelief, merely observed Gae Cheonmunju. “You seem to heal quickly.” The body, mostly brutalized, was gradually mending itself. Judging by speed alone, he was recovering faster than his own body, though woefully lacking compared to the Mana. “Was the strength originally this much? Hmm, never having fought you, I can’t say. What’s your take?” […What is he saying now?] “Not sure? Well, that’s fine.” Because finding out firsthand is enough. With those final words, Gu Yangcheon moved once more. *** Eyes ablaze, Gu Yangcheon advanced unwaveringly. Seeing this, Gae Cheonmunju hurriedly forced himself up. He reached out, calling a sword to his hand with a swift motion. His body moved like a whirlwind. Enhanced strength allowed him to infuse his sword with unprecedented power. [Urg!] Gae Chinryeong Bisung Sword. The unique sword technique of Gae Cheonmunju forged a path of miracles. Certainly, it was far more formidable than when he fought barehanded. SCRAPE-! As the sword scraped along the ground, sparks flew. The terrain bore not a dent under Gae Cheonmunju’s sword. Gu Yangcheon leveraged the ground to launch at him. BOOOM---!!! The impact cracked the ground. Seeing this, Gae Cheonmunju’s expression twisted. This he could not comprehend either. That space, supposedly indestructible, was easily broken by this young foe. Moreover. CLANG-! Gae Cheonmunju’s sword rebounded off Gu Yangcheon’s fist. It struck precisely along the blade’s length. The resulting recoil was unexpectedly powerful. [How can this young one…] Only just over twenty. He knew all too well that his opponent was strong, from several encounters, but facing him again, it exceeded expectations. [Even having embraced the True Purpose, am I still to be overpowered…?] He had internalized the great one’s will. By doing so, he should have transcended humanity. [This brat…!!] Yet here he was, being undermined by this youngling. It was unbelievable. No, it wasn’t. Gae Cheonmunju, on the cusp of despair, shifted his thoughts. [That one too…] Not just himself, but that one was the same. This transformed body revealed much, and he realized Gu Yangcheon was akin to him. No ordinary human. A sublime, towering, great being. However. [Why….] Even if they were similar, they were not the same. Gae Cheonmunju’s instincts whispered one more thing. Bow your head. That was something beyond his gaze. The inexplicable fear and reverence entwined within him. He had caught faint glimpses of it while observing the swordmaster’s successor beside him, and yet, seeing Gu Yangcheon, the feeling dwarfed all else in comparison. [You… what are you--!] CRACK-! A knee struck the face. Blood fanned out midair as his head snapped back. He had heard that question countless times, but now even responding felt wearisome. With a jaded air, Gu Yangcheon responded. “What difference will it make to know?” You’ll soon be dead anyway. --- hwawol72 2024.10.21 17:32 신고 It seems there's definitely some secret about Yeonga. The feeling is off. 0 Yeonwoo 2024.10.28 07:38 신고 Could Yeon Ilcheon be the final villain? 0 Only logged-in members can leave comments. 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